Blast from the past: New Oklahoma City bar opens with 80s music, arcade games

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Guests will be able to travel back in time to meet their favorite friends from the 1980s at a new downtown arcade bar.

"We really just want to keep it true to the 80s," said Jose Rodriguez, owner of FlashBack RetroPub. "When you come in here, it's going to be 80s music. So, we're going to have montage of 80s movies, 80s TV shows."

Mario, Donkey Kong and Qbert are just a few of the 32 arcade games adults can play at FlashBack RetroPub on Film Row.

“We have been collecting games for about two and a half years now," Rodriguez said. "I have gone across five different states and traveled 10,000 miles just collecting these games."

Some memorabilia was donated by the public.

“Every time they come here, they're going to come look for their cassette tapes and be like, 'That was mine. I donated it,” Rodriguez said. “It is like a museum.”

It took Rodriguez years to find the right area of town to put his 80s concept bar.

“The main key for us was finding the right location, finding the place that's up and coming, that we fit into the district and the district fits us," Rodriguez said. "At the same time, just being part of the downtown growth."

With an upcoming hotel and music venue being built just down the street, Rodriguez feels like he found an area that is still growing.

“Being the first bar, we are uncharted territory for this area, so there are a lot of things we still have to learn on what our part is in this district,” Rodriguez said.

Only drinks will be served at the retro pub, but food trucks will come on the weekends.

Rodriguez said no matter the age, someone will find some way to relate to this place.

“Have fun, reminisce on the older days and, even for kids who weren't born in the 80s, they get a chance to see some of the things that we grew up in,” Rodriguez said.

Flashback opens at 7 p.m. Friday and will have a DeLorean outside along with some food trucks.